The NFL officially pulled the curtain back on the 2026 first-round draft order Tuesday, confirming that the Las Vegas Raiders will hold the number one overall pick. The announcement follows a 2025 season that saw a tight race for the bottom, with four different teams finishing with identical 3-14 records.
The Raiders managed to edge out the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, and Tennessee Titans for the top slot thanks to the league’s strength-of-schedule tiebreaker. While all four teams struggled throughout the year, the Raiders’ .538 strength of schedule was the lowest among the group, handing them the keys to the draft.
This year’s event is headed to the “Steel City,” with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, set to host the festivities. The three-day marathon kicks off with the first round on Thursday, April 23. The second and third rounds will follow on Friday, April 24, while the remaining four rounds wrap up on Saturday, April 25.
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Beyond the struggle at the top, the draft order reveals several notable shifts due to prior trades. The New York Jets will pick twice in the top 16, thanks to a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. Similarly, the Los Angeles Rams have moved into the 13th spot after a deal with the Atlanta Falcons, while the Dallas Cowboys picked up a second first-round asset from Green Bay, slotted at number 20.
The defending champion Seattle Seahawks, coming off a Super Bowl LX victory over the New England Patriots, will pick last in the opening round at 32nd. The Patriots, despite their deep playoff run, find themselves at 31st.
With the order now set in stone, teams will shift their focus to the NFL Scouting Combine and pro days to evaluate a prospect pool that experts suggest is deep at both quarterback and edge rusher. For the Raiders, the clock has officially started.
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